Krunal Pandya once again showed why he is regarded as a clutch performer in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) setup. On Tuesday, during IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 against the Gujarat Titans in Dharamsala, the all-rounder stepped up with a crucial knock after early setbacks. He smashed a brisk 43 off 28 balls, including two sixes and five fours. Though he fell short of a half-century, the innings helped him script a special milestone.
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Pandya’s knock took his season tally to 224 runs. With 11 wickets already to his name, the 35-year-old became only the second RCB all-rounder after Jacques Kallis to score over 200 runs and pick up 10 or more wickets in a single IPL season. Kallis had achieved
the feat in 2010, scoring 572 runs and taking 13 wickets.
200+ Runs, 10+ Wickets For RCB In A Season
| Player | Runs | Wickets | Season |
| Jacques Kallis | 572 | 13 | 2010 |
| Krunal Pandya | 224* | 11* | 2026 |
Notably, this is the third time Krunal has reached this double in an IPL season. He previously did so with the Mumbai Indians, scoring 243 runs and taking 10 wickets in 2017, followed by 228 runs and 12 wickets in 2018.
200+ Runs & 10 or More Wickets For Krunal Pandya In A Season
| Season | Franchise | Runs | Wickets |
| 2017 | MI | 243 | 10 |
| 2018 | MI | 228 | 12 |
| 2026 | RCB | 224 | 11 |
Meanwhile, RCB piled up a daunting 254/5 against Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026 Qualifier 1, riding on a breathtaking assault from skipper Rajat Patidar. The RCB captain hammered 93 off just 33 balls, smashing nine sixes and five fours, as the side exploded for 114 runs in the last six overs to take complete control.
After an early setback with Venkatesh Iyer’s dismissal, Virat Kohli (43) and Devdutt Padikkal (30) steadied the innings, guiding RCB to a strong powerplay. Gujarat Titans pulled things back in the middle overs through Rashid Khan and Jason Holder, who struck twice quickly.
However, dropped chances proved costly as Patidar cashed in, forging a 95-run partnership with Krunal Pandya (43) to power RCB to one of the highest playoff totals.
